Changing Guard at California Fish and Wildlife

As we get ready to kick off the new year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeing a change at the helm. Director Chuck Bonham will be stepping down from his role as he prepares for a new chapter. The Nature Conservancy has announced that Bonham has been selected as Executive Director of its California chapter, a position he will assume on January 26, 2026. He will vacate his role at CDFW prior to taking on the new position.

Bonham was first appointed director of CDFW by then-Governor Jerry Brown in 2011 and is the longest-serving director in the agency’s history, overseeing a wide range of wildlife and natural resource issues across the state.

Bonham’s tenure wasn’t always sunshine and roses, at least as the California Cattlemen’s Association tells it. In a recent newsletter, the association says Bonham’s time at CDFW included overseeing the state’s response to the return of gray wolves to California, which CCA says has coincided with increasing wolf–livestock conflicts. The association also highlights Bonham’s oversight of efforts to restrict the permitted take of mountain lions and other predator species.

We’ll keep you informed as this leadership transition at CDFW unfolds.